Affordable projects move ahead in Wells

WELLS — Much attention has been given to the various seasonal cottage developments and other large proposals that have sprung up in Wells over the past couple of years.

Jim Kanak

WELLS — Much attention has been given to the various seasonal cottage developments and other large proposals that have sprung up in Wells over the past couple of years.

There are a couple of smaller proposals that are nearing final approval, however, that are interesting in their own right. One of these, known as Jesse Lee Village, proposes to offer housing for retired ministers. The second, known as Townline Estates, will build five affordable homes in a 10 unit subdivision on Route 109 near the Sanford line.

Jesse Lee Village is being built by the Preachers Aid Society of New England. It will include 23 units on a 28-acre parcel at the junction of Harrisecket Road and Willow Way in the rural district. The project will extend public sewer and water to the site from Route 1. The units will be owned by the Society and rented solely to retired ministers of the United Methodist Church in New England or their surviving spouses.

"In the Methodist Church, clergy are usually required to live in parsonages," said Thomas Gallen of the Society. "That means they go through their career without owning a home to retire in. That's OK in some parts of the country but in New England, it's kind of hard to go from a modest paying job to buying a home at age 65. Some clergy have ended up in less than adequate housing."

The project calls for the 23 units to include two single-family lots, three single-family dwellings, and nine two-family attached dwellings. The units will be clustered along a 1,035-foot road that will be built connecting Harrisecket Road and Willow Way. There are plans also for a community building.

Gallen said the Society operates a similar community in Guilford, N.H. Getting the parcel in Wells was somewhat fortuitous. "The Maine Council of Churches was left that property years ago," Gallen said. "They were looking for a use for it, and when we came along, they brightened up to the idea. We bought the land from them."

Once the final approval is in hand, the plan is to move forward slowly. "I'm hoping we'll put up two to four units in 2009," said Gallen. "We're not fast tracking this by any means. We'll build out over three to five years. I'm hoping the [housing] market will improve and our people can sell their own places. This will be a slow build out."

Townline Estates is a smaller project but one that addresses a need not just in Wells but in all of York County — affordable housing. It will be built by Custom Built Homes of Windham. The 10-unit subdivision was approved in May, 2005 but was never built. It includes 10 homes, five of which will be affordable, on an approximately 13.5-acre parcel in western Wells. Home lots will be around an acre in size and will be built on a cul de sac. They will have wells and septic systems.

"It's been sitting around for a couple of years," said Danny McCarthy of Custom Built Homes. "We have a lot of the roads built already. We did this through the Maine State Housing agency's guidelines. There's a strong demand in the affordable housing market."

McCarthy said his company would be covering many of the points and other closing costs associated with mortgages for the affordable units. He said he expects the homes to be in the $200,000 - $250,000 range, depending on the size and style of the home.

"We have a three bedroom, one and a-half bath colonial priced at $230,000, finished with the land," McCarthy said, offering one example.

One feature McCarthy highlighted is that the housing is targeted to Wells residents. "Town of Wells residents will get first option to buy the affordable units for 45 days after we start advertising," he said. "Anyone can buy the other five lots."

McCarthy said he'd like to get the project going as soon as possible. "I'd like to start building in the spring, as soon as I can access [the land] comfortably," he said. "The first time home buyer market is still strong."

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.

Advertise

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
seacoastonline.com ~ 111 New Hampshire Ave., Portsmouth, NH 03801 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service